Deanna Daughhetee

Deanna Daughhetee stands out as a leader in the mortgage industry with over 20 years of experience. She founded American Equity Mortgage, Inc. in 1992 in St. Louis, MO, and has grown the company into one of the nation’s leading mortgage bankers.

Her leadership as well as her straight-forward approach to business, have gained Ms. Daughhetee multiple recognitions. In 2013, she was named one of the 100 Most Influential Mortgage Executives by Mortgage Executive Magazine. She was recognized as one of the St. Louis Business Journal’s Most Influential Business Women, Businesswoman of the Year by the National Association of Female Executives, and Entrepreneur of the Year in the St. Louis region of Ernst & Young’s prestigious awards program. Listed among the top women business owners by St. Louis Small Business Monthly, Daughhetee has secured American Equity Mortgage’s place on the Working Women 500 list of top women-owned businesses in the country.

Daughhetee’s career highlights her ability to break through barriers, as she is one of a small number of female CEOs in the industry. With a proven track record of helping her company embrace challenges and opportunities, she has enabled the company to grow at a time when other mortgage companies were folding and Americans were most in need of financial assistance.

One of the hallmarks of Daughhetee’s leadership is her passion to help Americans get to a better place financially, by continually building her team of experienced home loan experts who partner with clients to help them achieve their financial goals.

Known for its dedication to clients, American Equity Mortgage has been recognized for excellence in customer service and named Best Overall Company in the American Business Awards.

A CPA with an undergraduate degree in business from Eastern Illinois University, Daughhetee received her MBA from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. She is a member of the Regional Business Council (RBC) and the Mortgage Bankers Association. Deanna also served as the Chair for the St. Louis Social Venture Partners (SVP), Old Newsboys’ Day and has served on the boards of the Ronald McDonald House Charities, YWCA and the Advisory Board of United Missouri Bank and the School of Business at Eastern Illinois University.